Treasurer flags progress on housing

Low-income families looking for housing could benefit from a deal reached at a meeting of the nation's treasurers.

Federal Treasurer Scott Morrison said the meeting with his state counterparts in Canberra had agreed to progress the idea of a "bond aggregator" similar to those used in the UK to harness investment.

The independent body would issue bonds and on-lend these funds to community housing providers, allowing them to access cheaper and longer term finance.

"We are taking the bond aggregator to the next level," Mr Morrison told reporters after the meeting on Friday.

Mr Morrison said there was no common position on the broader issue of housing affordability, but there was an important discussion about how regulators are dealing with a sharp rise in the level of investor credit.

"This is a matter not just about housing affordability, frankly, but also an issue about household debt," he said.

Victoria has scrapped stamp duty for home purchases under $600,000, taxed vacant housing stock and brought in a shared ownership plan with the government so buyers don't need as big a deposit.

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However, Mr Morrison has made it clear the federal government won't be bankrolling any state tax changes, such as stamp duty.

He believes a key factor to the housing affordability problem is supply, and the states have the biggest levers to affect planning and zoning regulation.

The issue of freeing up state land and the use of Defence land for housing was raised during the meeting.

"I think there is a genuine commitment, particularly from those states most impacted, to deal with this issue and to use the levers that we have available," Mr Morrison said.

A nationally consistent plan for taxing online gambling will be examined.

Mr Morrison said such taxes were not about raising revenue for revenue's sake, but harm minimisation and ensuring the national sporting codes are not adversely impacted.

Queensland Treasurer Curtis Pitt said he was disappointed there was no commitment from Mr Morrison to improve the way federal money is given the states via national partnership agreements, which provide funding for such things as homelessness, early childhood education and health.

"We will continue to push hard to ensure we get these critical areas funded so the states and territories can get on with the job of delivering for our constituents."

The states were unable to agree on any changes to the GST distribution.